Ellen McIntyre wrote:

> Was asked last night what precautions should be taken over spilt ebm,
> ie is
> there any concern over the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis,
> HIV
> etc from handling ebm (not one's own) and say getting some spilt on
> one's
> skin which has a cut. This concern was mentioned by workers at a child
> care
> centre where a baby was being given his mother's ebm. The same
> concerns
> would apply to workers in NICU etc where ebm is handled. Should we be
> regarding ebm as another body fluid such as blood. What do you think?

This is an excerpt from LLLI's  "Day Care Breast Milk Storage
Guidelines" dated 15 Oct 95.  The whole article can be found at
http://www.lalecheleague.org/Release/ReleaseDaycare.html

"As of this date, human milk is not (nor has it ever been) included in
federal health agencies listings of
body fluids governed by universal precautions for bloodborne pathogens
which would mandate
handling and feeding with rubber gloves or storage in a separate
refrigerator as a biohazardous
material. This continues to be the current policy of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "

The statement goes on to say:

"As to specific guidelines for daycare facilities, I refer you to the
1992 joint publication by the
American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health
Association (with input from the
Human Milk Banking Association of North America),

CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN

National Health and Safety Performance Standards:
Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs

This publication recognizes, supports, and promotes the feeding of human
milk to infants in day care
and places no restrictions beyond regular handwashing and standard
refrigeration protocols. The
publication thoroughly outlines procedures to prevent the spread of
infection, including universal
precautions for wounds and body fluids containing visible blood. Human
milk is not included in this
discussion nor in the list of body fluids of concern."


This statement does not appear to address issues in countries other than
the US, but I would expect similar guidelines would apply.

Kathy

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Kathy Koch, BSEd, IBCLC
Mom to Andrew, Abigail and Molly
LLL Leader, AAPL/OL for VA and MD/DE/DC
[log in to unmask]          Great Mills, MD, USA

"Within the child lies the fate of the future."   Maria Montessori
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